Ver. 13.-The God wi,th whom 1ne have to do. God always acts in oharacter. From the thing he is may be inferred the quality of the thing he will do. We see him· here- I. As REVEALED BY ers NAMES. Each -Divine name and title is a Divine revelation ;. sets forth some one of God's incomparable perfections. 1. Jehovah. "The Being;" "the- Living One." In contradistinction to idols, having real existence. In contradistinction to created things, having eternal existence. In contradistinction to all outside himself~ having :necessary existence. Jehovah is the true God and alone claiming faith, the- self-existent God and alone giving life, the eternal God and alone conferrin~ immor- tality. 2. God. "The Adorable One." The Sum of all excellence. The ObJect of. all :worship. The Inspirer of all veneration. The Being who at once deserves and oom- mands the he&rt's whole allegiance and devotion. 3. 0/hosts. "God-of the armies!' The hosts are the heavenly bodies (Gen. ii. 1; Deut. iv. 19), the angels (Josh. v. 14, 15; 1 Kings xxii. 19; Ps. ciii. 21; cxlviii. 2), and men (Exod. xii. 41). "All these- he made, owns, keeps, controls, and uses. He is the universal Sovereign, e.nu "doeth according to his will" everywhere, always, and without appeal. Such a Being it is no light thing to meet. Jost as it is done will utter ruin or absolute safety result. II. As REVEALED llY ms wonxs. The worker puts something of himself into his. work-the author into his book, the painter into his picture, the mechanic into· hi~ machine. And so with God (Ps. xiL 1). 1. He produces physical phenomena-. Three kinds are enumerated: (l) solid matter, "the mountains ; " (2) gaseous matter, "the- wind;" (3) ethereal matter, "-dawn, darkness." Matter in all forms is the creature of God. Its mutations are the doing of his power. Its elements are the inBtruments of his hand. He does to it and by it what his own moral excellence prompt& And thus it reveals him. We "View great Nature's open eye, And see within it trembling lie The portrait of the Deity." 2. He ~als =f,a}, phenomena. "Maketh known to man what is his [man's't thought." The power of introspection is peculiar to man of earthly creatures; g;: takes cognizance of what passes in his own mind; reads his thoughts, and analy11es the process of thinking. This is among the highest exercises of reason. It is a revelation of its marvellous powers, and so of the wisdom and power of him. by whom the faculty was bestowed. If a man's thoughts are open to himself, much more are they to God. The mind can do all this; what cannot the Maker of it do (Jer. xvii. 9, 10)? 3. He ruleB moral phenomena. "Goeth over the high places of the earth." The "high places" are the exalted people. All these he rules. The highest do his bidding. From prince to peasant all are hut clay in the Potter's hands. Who, then, shall strive with him? What can avail against his transcendent might? All natural forces, all creaturely existences, are but tools in his hand, and ministers that do his will. This is the God we must meet, and to meet whom we may well prepare.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. ' Vera. 4, 6.-Hgpocrisy. The rhetorioal fervour of the propheHeads, himiin thi& paasage to address himself to the guilty nobles of Israel in terms -0f bitter irony. That descendants of Abraham should have forsaken Jehovah, should have set up •altare- to .a golden calf, or to deities of their heathen neighbours,-this: cuts the prophet to the heart. But that, even whilst acting thus, they should retain some -of their ancient observances, should profess any reverence for the precepts of the Law of Ged,......, this is the most cruel wound. Hence this language of irony, the severity of which i,a. apparent to every reader. L lT IS EYPOCBIBY OUTW.ABDLY TO REVERENCE THE OBDINANOBB, 4>1' GOD -WBILBT· BEA.LLY SEBY.ING Gol)'B ENEMIES. Sacrifices, tithes, leaven, offerings-all of whioh ar& mentioned in this passage-were prescribed in the Mosaic Law.. The -sin -of the laraelitea lay here. All the time. that they were attending to these observances, they were worshipping idols, and l,reak.ing the first .and second commandments of the ten. Virtually, all men who profeBB Christianity, and yet loye the sinful practices and OD, IV. 1-18.] THE .800K OF AMOS.